Cliff Burton of Metallica Passed Away 37 Years Ago Today

Photo used with permission from the private collection of Michael Anthony Alago. https://www.instagram.com/michaelanthonyalago/

Although we cherish and honor the legacy of Metallica’s iconic classic lineup bassist Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986), we also remember today as the day he passed away 37 years ago in the now infamous bus crash in Sweden. Cliff has left an indelible mark, not only on the greatest metal band ever, but its fans worldwide. As former Ghost Cult Senior Editor Metal Mark wrote in an article in 2017 “…we will never know the full greatness that he could have achieved with the band.” In the meantime, his legacy lives on with Cliff Burton Day held this year in his hometown of Castro Valley, California, while Metallica continues to pay tribute to the music they made together, ticking off anniversaries of Cliff’s albums, and even though Cliff’s father Ray Burton has passed away, Cliff’s family continues donating Cliff’s royalties to charity. Check out these tributes to Cliff and appreciate this once in a lifetime person and talent.